


Generational Gap

by maddiebug



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: This is like a school au, after a breif break im back, aged up a little bit, highschool, no beta we die like men, oof, still concussed now its a traumatic brain injury which is not ideal, the autgot is once again self projecting, theyre applying for colleges, uhh, yike
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-09
Updated: 2020-01-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:20:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22183210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maddiebug/pseuds/maddiebug
Summary: "What do other generations misunderstand about yours?" Marinette read the essay prompt out loud.Adrien, sitting next to her scoffed. "Everything.""I don't know what to write.""The older generations dont understand us at all.""All I can think is memes, but-""I'm writing about memes-""I can't write about memes."...In which the author is procrastinating college apps and instead of writing an actual essay is writing characters writing an essay
Comments: 14
Kudos: 85





	Generational Gap

"What do other generations misunderstand about yours?" Marinette read the essay prompt out loud.

Adrien, sitting next to her scoffed. "Everything."

"I don't know what to write." She shook her head.

"The older generations don't understand us at all." He was saying. "From views on global warming to whether or not Paris' heroes should surrender, I disagree with my father on everything."

"I could maybe say that..." her voice trailed off, thinking about all the possibilities. 

"My father doesn't understand how much I want to feel free. He doesn't understand my fear of being trapped." Adrien thought about how easy it was to out the house on lockdown, versus how hard it was to get into public schooling. "Different generations have different priorities. He wants me to be safe, but i want to live my life."

"I want to write this essay." Marinette frowned. "I'm sorry, that was rude. You actually have some good ideas. Unlike me."

"What are your ideas?"

"So far, all I can think is memes, but-" Marinette shook her head.

"I didn't even think about that." Adrien's eyes widened. "I'm writing about memes. Thank you, Marinette."

"I can't write about memes. I can't write a serious essay about memes."

"Why not? I am."

"What else is there? Global warming?"

"Harambe had a bigger impact on my generation than 9/11."

"I seriously can't think about anything other than memes."

"Gen Z is really defined by our fatalistic sense of humor as a coping mechanism."

"I-" Marinette let put a defeated sign. "That was actually a good point."

...

"...the one thing that really divides my generation from every other generation is our sense of humor. My generation posts memes that are at first glance, incomprehensible, and require layered knowledge of other memes. We may seem to be making stupid, meaningless jokes, but to my generation, memes are so much more that than. In this essay I will-"

"That's great, Adrien." Mrs. Bustier cut him off. "It was a great start." She looked around the class. "Does anyone else want to read part of their essay?"

About half of the hands went up.

"I wasn't done." Adrien protested.

Ms. Bustier pointed at one. "Did you write about memes?"

"No."

"Please, read to the class, I'm excited to hear what you have to say."

"Gen Z, also called GenWii or the igeneration is characterized by a lot of stereotypes. We are known to be addicted to technology. We are known to be predictable, moody teenagers, but we are so much more than that. More than any generation before us, unlike high school musical, we don't stick to the status quo. The world is changing at a rapid pace and we have to be able to change with it. The way we talk, jokes we tell, memes we a post are constantly changing with the times. My generation has been called the generation that can turn anything into a joke. From the death of a gorilla to the threat of nuclear war, teenagers post memes that other generations find shocking and morbid-"

Ms. Bustier cut her off. "I thought you said it wasn't about memes."

"I-"

Adrien smirked at her. "Look at you, princess. After all the claims that you wouldn't write about memes."

She rolled her eyes. "Its not the main focus, it leads into a bigger point."

"Okay, go ahead."

"Thank you." Marinette took a breath. "As I was saying, we are seen as the generation that can turn anything into a joke. We are never taken seriously, even when we try to speak up. We use humor as a coping mechanism because we are scared. its the only way we can adapt to the unprecedented chaos of the world. yet somehow, We take things more seriously than other generations could imagine. Greta Thunberg is speaking out about climate change like no one else. Ladybug and Chat Noir, teenagers, are fighting a literal supervillian and saving Paris on a daily basis. They're teenagers, my age, they probably sleep in and procrastinate like the rest of us, but we are like them too. People our age are making bigger stands than any other generations. The thing that other generations don't understand about my generation is how much we care. In this essay I will..."

Ms. Bustier sighed. "Does anyone else want to read their essay?"

The same amount of hands went up as before.

"Anyone that doesn't mention memes."

Alix left her hand up. 

"Miss Kubdel, what would you like to say."

"Other generations don't understand the impact that memes have on us. Youre proving that right now. Memes aren't just jokes, sometimes its satire, usually funny, but it really does define our generation. When you disregard memes like that, you're really disregarding an entire generation."

Bustier sighed. "Just, turn your papers in on my desk. After I grade them, we can have a discussion."

"About memes?"

"If you students have good points. Then yes."

"I always make good points."


End file.
